Preventing EA is a responsibility that we all share.

Elder abuse is a community problem with community solutions.  As the Maine Council for Elder Abuse Prevention notes, "Educated communities are empowered communities." And Age-Friendly initiatives can play a critical role in creating a community context in which the mistreatment of older adults is less likely to occur.

What Is "Prevention" in the Context of Elder Abuse?

Prevention activities are those that avoid the occurrence of abuse and focus on mitigating the risk factors associated with mistreatment of older adults (National Center on Elder Abuse, 2024).  Effective prevention involves both addressing the risk factors present in relationships, communities, and society and strengthening protective factors most closely related to the issues of abuse, neglect, or exploitation.

Educate the Community on the Signs of EA

Creating awareness of the "red flags" of each type of elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation - and knowledge about how to respond - is a solid first step in bringing EA into the light in our communities.  Become aware of the resources that are available to provide support to older adults who may be experiencing one of the six types of EA listed below.

In addition to understanding the role of Adult Protective Services, the LTC Ombudsman, and law enforcement, be aware of the wide range of social services organizations that serve the community and help with issues ranging from domestic violence, financial counseling, food insecurity, transportation barriers, and assistance in aging independently.  In Aroostook County, these include:

• Aroostook Agency on Aging:  (207) 764-3396

• Aroostook County Action Program: (207) 764-3721

• Aroostook Regional Transportation System: (207) 764-3384

• The Hope & Justice Project: (800) 439-2323

Refer to the resources on how to build a local public awareness campaign for EA on this site for additional ideas about how to engage and educate your community on the issues surrounding mistreatment of older adults.

Challenge Ageism in Your Community

Ageism is often called the "last acceptable 'ism'"...and Age-Friendly Communities can play a significant role in changing that situation.

A number of resources offer suggestions for how to change thinking around aging at the community level, including:

• The World Health Organization's (WHO) Campaigning to Tackle Ageism toolkit and Initiating a Conversation about Ageism guide

• Changing the Narrative's Ageism Action Toolkit

• Old School's Anti-Ageism Clearinghouse, which includes links to a variety of materials for consciousness-raising

Create a Caring Community for Those Who Provide Care

Providing care to a family member is one of the most rewarding things a person can do...but it can also be incredibly difficult, especially as the care recipient's needs increase.  Research, summarized in Kohn and Verhoek-Oftedahl (2016) shows that being a caregiver of an older adult heightens the risk of EA; the rate of abuse for people caring for an individual with dementia has been reported to be nearly 12%.  A range of factors contribute to the increased likelihood of causing harm to an older adult, including:

• Residing with the individual for whom care is being provided;

• Behavioral health issues, including substance use, depression, and anxiety

• Lack of experience in caregiving;

• Relationship conflict with the older person;

• Other caring responsibilities for a spouse or children; and

• Social isolation and lack of support.

Unfortunately, many caregivers don't understand the work that they're doing as caregiving; think they don't need help; or are just too overwhelmed by daily caregiving tasks to take time to find help.  This is where Age-Friendly Communities can play an important role, creating awareness of the importance - and challenges - of caregiving and the need for community support for caregivers.  By recognizing the importance of caregiving and caregiver well-being, residents of Age-Friendly Communities can more effectively reach out with emotional support, assistance with caregiving responsibilities, and connections to local resources.  Knowing that local organizations - like the Aroostook Agency on Aging - offer services to support caregivers, including connections to respite services, caregiver training, and support groups, can help to link people in need of caregiving support to expert resources.

In addition, the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers, issued in 2022, includes a section that highlights more than 150 ideas that states and communities can consider as a way to increase their support for caregivers.